Practice of Peace in Sweden--A reflection on the Issue

[Chris Corrigan]

For those of you mired in the un-peaceful political divide of
post-election US politics, the Christian Science Monitor has just
published a lovely guide to conversation:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1015/p10s02-coop.html

Chris


On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 06:30:47 -0400, Alan Chilton
<achilton at ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> What an incredibly insightful reflection.  Thank you Chris.
>
> Alan Chilton, Halifax, NS
>
> You must be the change you wish to see in the world  -- M.K. Gandhi
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Chris
> Corrigan
> Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 6:57 PM
> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Subject: Re: Practice of Peace in Sweden--A reflection on the Issue
>
> Judy wrote::
> >
> > I wholeheartedly agree with Paul's thoughts at the end of his message.
> > I do not think peace is possible (realistically).  Whenver there are
> > humans involved, there will be personality differences and when those
> > differences become so vastly opposite, war breaks out.  I believe that
> > with a deeper understanding of our personality differences and
> > acknowledging that no 'personality type' is truly 'right' will move us
> > towards peacefulness.  I completely agree with Paul's statement -
> > "we'd best be focusing on raising our own individual consciousness,
> > tolerance level and inner beingness and forget about peace as a
> > target."  If/when everyone begins focusing on their own choices in
> > life instead of looking to blame others, we might get somewhere........but
> unfortunately, I doubt that will ever happen.
>
> I think peace is possible.  I know it because I see it.  I live in a
> peaceful community, I am at peace in my family and in myself.  Do we have
> squabbles and conflicts?  Of course.  Do these things create vicious cycles
> of conflict and violence?  No.
>
> I think perhaps that peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence
> of constructive ways of dealing with conflict.  In Canada for example, we
> certainly have no shortage of potential causes for civil
> war: the occasional separatist referendum in a province containing 30% of
> the population of the country, unresolved indigenous land rights, ethnic and
> cultural diversity.  In many other places in the world, these things trigger
> widespread violence, but not here.  I like to think it is because we are
> blessed with an overabundance of space.
> Somehow we exist peacefully together in a sparsely populated land with a
> broad political spectrum and an open democracy that embraces opposition
> rather than demonizing it.  Conflict, although it gets nerve racking at
> times, never seems to escalate out of this mushy hug of space.
>
> And I agree with Alex.  Peace is an inner art.  To see the Dalai Lama and
> many others who have sustained this art in oppressive conditions tells me
> that's it's not only possible, but highly achievable.  But I think that
> Harrison's point in the Practice of Peace is key: space and time need to be
> opened if conflict is to dissipate.  Whatever that means to you, it should
> be understood that it IS possible.  We can choose to be opening or closing.
> We can choose our systems and our cultures.  Once in a while something like
> what is happening in the Ukraine takes place.  What is emerging on the
> streets of Kiev is not peace (in fact it might result in more conflict in
> the country, I don't know) but it IS an opening.  It is hundreds of
> thousands of people calling for opening.  And in that space, the tolerance
> for conflict wanes and peace grows.  Not tonight or even next year, but in
> the long term, on the scale of human change.
>
> Holding space is having peace.  Not easy, but possible.
>
> Chris
>
> -------------------------
> CHRIS CORRIGAN
> Consultation - Facilitation
> Open Space Technology
>
> Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
> Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
>
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--
-------------------------
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com

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